Unbreakable

Only the fittest cars survive Dakar. Meet the Toyota Hilux.

- John Page

He limped his Hilux homeon three wheels, an arduous 90 kilometres to cross the finish line, haemorrhaging time but summoning a stoic act of never give up attitude. A boulder strapped over the engine provided enough weight to pivot the car just enough to keep the shattered remains of a right rear wheel off the ground.

Seconds before running wide at a crooked bend on stage 2, Nasser Al-Attiyah was leading the Dakar in his South African built Toyota Hilux – a feat that would be broadcast to 190 countries as the world’s second biggest motorsport event. Yet, in the blink of an eye he was out, his efforts to get back to the pits in vain.

Former Dakar winner, South African driver Giniel de Villiers’ ultra-consistent approach kept the Hilux in the hunt over the next 12 days that would cover another 8000km to eventually finish the world’s toughest rally raid in fifth. Unlike in previous years, there would be no podium for the crowd favourite Toyota Hilux Yet, ironically, the latest evolution of Hilux had clearly showed itself to be on the pace. Plus, encouragingly, its bulletproof toughness was again beyond reproach.